Natural Health: What can I do when I get a raw, burning sore throat?

Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments, including sore throats. The inner bark forms a soothing gel-like paste when mixed with water, which coats the throat and can help alleviate that raw and burning feeling you are experiencing

Megan Sheppard shares a simple, but effective, natural remedy for a sore throat.

I'm in my 30s and often get sore throats that feel raw and burning. I've noticed they tend to happen when I'm under stress at work. What would you suggest?

Stress will definitely be playing a role in your frequent sore throats since stress tends to undermine immune function, leaving us more vulnerable.

One simple, but effective, natural remedy for a sore throat is gargling with warm salt water. Not only will this help to reduce inflammation and loosen mucous, the hypertonic environment created by the salt may help to dehydrate and kill bacteria and viruses present in the throat.
Addressing the stress is an important piece of the puzzle. The most simple relaxation measures include breathwork, meditation, and stretching. You can do all of these using free video guidance on YouTube, and there are some useful phone apps as well such as Headspace, Aura, Insight Timer, Calm, and Balance. These apps typically combine breathwork with meditation and mindfulness.

Herbal teas such as chamomile, peppermint, or ginger can provide relief from the throat inflammation as well as supporting your nervous system. You might also like to include herbs such as marshmallow root and liquorice root, which contain compounds to help reduce irritation and soothe the throat.
Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments, including sore throats. The mucilaginous inner bark forms a soothing gel-like paste when mixed with water, which coats the throat and can help alleviate that raw and burning feeling you are experiencing.

You can make a thin paste by using 2-4 teaspoons of slippery elm powder with two cups of warm-hot water. Vary the amounts until it reaches a consistency that suits you, and sweeten to taste using raw honey for additional medicinal properties.
It is worth noting that slippery elm is also what is known as a COX-2 inhibitor. COX-2 stands for Cyclo-oxygenase-2. Basically, it is an enzyme in the body that triggers inflammation, and because of the soothing and demulcent properties of slippery elm, it works to inhibit the production of this enzyme and therefore reduce inflammation. This is why this simple herbal remedy is used for such a wide range of conditions from the throat and respiratory tract through to the gastro-intestinal tract.

Two key nutrients that can be taken to help stimulate the immune system, reduce healing time, and target tissue repair are vitamin C and zinc. The dosage of vitamin C should be around 2,000-3,000mg, taken in 500mg doses. For the zinc, you will need 90-150mg daily until your throat is feeling better, then reduce this dosage to 15-30mg daily as a preventative measure.

My digestive system seems out of sync. I'm burping a lot, and my flatulence can be embarrassing. I've cut out fatty and spicy foods, which has helped a little. What else can I do?

Digestive function can be impacted by so many different factors, and it often feels as if we are chasing our tails trying to find the ideal foods for optimal health and digestion. One of the most common causes of digestive upset is a deficiency of gastric acid secretion, also known as hypochlorhydria.
Common symptoms of this condition include indigestion, bloating, belching, nausea, flatulence, diarrhoea, constipation, a burning sensation in the digestive tract, a feeling of overfullness, undigested food particles in the stools, and unbalanced intestinal flora.

There is a specific bacterium that can impact the secretion of gastric acid: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacterium protects itself from the acidic environment of the stomach by surrounding itself with ammonia, enabling it to burrow through the mucous membrane and attach itself to the epithelial cells.

Mastic gum, the resin of the Pistacia lentiscus tree, has been shown to destroy H. pylori while restoring digestive function and reducing gut inflammation. Mastika, available from Evergreen Healthfoods (091 564550), contains 250mg of mastic gum and costs €12.65 for 30 capsules.